Project Chainsaw
by SolStone
Summary: The cast of FE9/10 is formed into a logging company in Montana. Its an AU fic, with the same general plot and character arcs as the two games. Follows the general flow of FE9. Based off of two FE art pieces.
1. Prologue: Entering A Man's World

Alright. This is the next big Fire Emblem fic that I'm writing. Originally my NaNoWriMo submission, I decided to take it slower and easier, to make it better.

This is an AU fic, with some main plot arcs from Path of Radiance, and a couple from Radiant Dawn.  
This idea was based off of a drawing I found of Ike holding a chainsaw, on deviantart: .com/art/21st-Century-Weaponry-Ike-105551211  
That piece was my inspiration for this idea. There's one of Shinon too: .com/art/21st-Century-Weaponry-Shinon-104538598

It takes place in and around the fictional town of Canteus, Montana, around this day and age. All of the Greil Mercenaries will star, and various other characters from the games, whether they are recurring characters or mere cameos is up to my discretion. This is an AU fic, with the Greil Mercenaries being converted into a logging company, and their members are lumberjacks, etc.

So please enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Fire Emblem.

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Prologue: Entering A Man's World

A cool spring breeze blew throughout the land as two figures approached the edge of the great Ribahn River. The elder man set down his tackle box and fishing pole, then pointed downstream. "That'll be far enough Ike." The youth nodded to his father and ventured downriver about a hundred feet, and set his tackle box down and began to prepare his fishing gear. Ike, a seventeen year old Montanan, was of a mild build, but the trait that set him out from everyone else was his blue hair. He was seventeen going on eighteen.

The father, Greil was in his mid forties. He had brown hair, which was beginning to show signs of aging; it was growing lighter and less vibrant. He was of a sturdy build, as he was also a native Montanan; he was a man of the outdoors, a man hardened by the often brutal but peaceful life that living out in the wilderness brings to its companions.

The father and son cast their lines into the chilly Ribahn River, and sat down to await their first bites. This was their home. Living in the wilderness of Montana was not easy, but it was their livelihood. Greil had begun his family here, in this forgotten realm, and it was here where he intended to die. He had prematurely buried his wife on the land that he cleared and tilled, and he hoped to God that he would not have to bury his son or daughter before he died.

"That's a mighty fine deadhead out there." Ike commented, drawing Greil away from his musing. Looking up and glancing towards the area where Ike was pointing, he saw a large deadhead log, buried in the river. It was of an old tree; it was at least twelve feet in diameter, as the older man could judge. "It's a pity that we can't take it out of the river huh? It'd make some nice furniture." Ike added.

Greil sighed and shook his head, answering his son. "That tree has seen its share of dangers and torments. Besides, one tree in the bush-"

"-Is worth two in the water. I know the basics. It's certainly not worth the risk to life and limb- struggling to get that out of the water." Ike finished.

Greil smiled at his son. "That's my boy." The smile then disappeared from his face. "Well, you aren't my boy anymore Ike." Ike looked up towards his father, knowing what weighed on his mind. "You're eighteen today. That means that you don't have to stay here and remain tied down to the land, or to your old man."

As Greil looked down on his line and checked the tension in his line, Ike set his rod down, wedged between two rocks. Ike walked over to his dad and put a hand on his shoulder. "Dad." The father looked up at his son, who was as much of him as he was his mother. "My family is here. You all are the most important thing to me in this world. After seeing Garcia's wife walk out on them, I could never do that to my family. Never."

Greil was appeased, and the smile returned to his face. "I just wonder what your wife will say to the notion of living out here." Ike chuckled. "What if she doesn't want to live here, out in the wilderness?" his father questioned, gesturing to the river, letting his arm arc through the air.

Ike smiled. "Well. If she's going to be my wife, she's going to live where I live. I'm not marrying a city girl. I don't need to have her covered in all that makeup and fancy clothes. I mean, sure it looks nice, but it's not my type of thing."

A sudden splash alerted the two men to the presence of a tripped line. Ike dashed over to his line and grasped it in both of his hands. Greil walked over to his son's area, and watched the sparring match take place between a man and a fish. "It looks to be a big one Ike."

The frown on Ike's face told his father that it was indeed a fish, and a big one at that. "You got that one, son?" Ike struggled with the line for another minute.

Ike was standing with his boots firmly planted in the ground, leaning back slightly to try to add more strength to his pull, using gravity. Gritting his teeth he pulled back harder, and said in between grunts, "This is no ordinary fish. It's got muscle." A couple beads of sweat formed on the young man's brow, as he kept up the struggle with the beast of a fish.

Greil sighed and said after a minute, "Ike, perhaps it's better to let this one go. You have to know when it's best to stay and fight, and when it's best to cut the line and let nature win."

After a moment of weighing the options, his son nodded the affirmative. "Alright. You win, fish." Ike released his chokehold on the line, and the fish took the bait and managed to unhook itself. As Greil went to clap his son on the back, a ferocious splash broke the water. Both men saw the monster of a fish leap from the water, and crash back down into the silent depths of the river. They stood there, silent in awe and wonder. The younger spoke up first. "Was that… the…"

Greil chuckled and clapped his son on the back. "It was son. That was the Bear of the River." Ike's face was full of wonder, and a sense of reverence, while his father just chuckled and went to grab his line and gear.

"I hooked the Bear of the River…" Ike repeated, struck with wonder and awe.

"Yes you did." Greil called back. "And that's no mean feat for a boy like you!"

The young man laughed triumphantly. "I'm not a boy anymore father. I'm a man now. I was born just a few hours ago, eighteen years ago, at high noon."

The father, having gathered his tools and tackle, walked back to his son and said, "That's true Ike. You are a man now. And as a man, I have one question to ask you: if you caught the Bear of the River, would you have kept it?"

Ike picked up his tackle box and line. "It would be a hard choice to make…" He started, with his face lost in thought. "… but, that fish is not mine to claim. It is for everyone, to test their skills upon. It belongs to the community, to nature, not to one man."

Greil rested a hand on his son's shoulder. "That's my man."

The two men then proceeded to start the trek back home, as the sun began sinking in the sky, behind the distant mountaintops.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Mist was sitting on the front porch of the family house. It was a beautiful afternoon in the beginning of spring, and she was awaiting the arrival of her brother and father. She inherited her father's brown hair, which flowed down to be shoulder-length. She was of average height for a girl of sixteen, and the woman in her family. Since the untimely death of her mother, she inherited this role. Mist sewed rips and tears in the clothes of her family, did the laundry, and kept the house neat and tidy.

The three were not the only people living in the Gawain Lodge, as they called their home. Since the death of Garcia, Greil's old friend and business partner, his three sons had come to live with them. Oscar, the eldest, returned from his life and private school in the city to come back and support his two younger brothers. Mist could hear Oscar whistling from the kitchen; he was a great chef, and his culinary skills and helpful demeanor lessened the burden that was placed on her. Oscar had dreams of being a chef, but they were crushed when his father was killed in an accident while on the job. Oscar had squinty eyes, and mildly green hair, which fell about his face naturally. He was tall and slender, not the type to continue in his father's footsteps.

Boyd, the middle son, was the one who was most like his late father. He was the largest, with a strong build. He was truly his father's son, with his father's dark forest green hair, and the attitude to match. He was choleric and driven; once he was set loose on a job, he got it done. Mist looked over towards the right side of the clearing, and saw Boyd busily working, chopping a few logs to serve as their firewood in the coming months. He stopped to wipe his brow clear of sweat, and waved at Mist, who returned the gesture with a smile.

The youngest son was Rolf, who was only fifteen. He had lime-green hair, and was the most free-spirited of the brothers. While Oscar was bound to work to support his brothers, and Boyd was determined to follow in his father's footsteps as a lumberjack, Rolf had the freedom to choose his destiny. While he loved the wilderness life, he yenned for the city, like his mother before him. There was an allure to the unknown life in the city, and he had plans to go out and attend art school somewhere in the outside world, though he has not yet told his brothers of his dreams.

A couple other people frequently lived in their house as well. Besides for the numerous guest bedrooms, there was one room reserved for Titania, a friend of Greil's from before he started the lodge. A room was also kept for Soren, who was a sort-of adopted brother to Ike and Mist, after being found abandoned in the woods. Finally, there was one room in the back end of the lodge, which was the only room that was undisturbed. It belonged to Achilles, the third founder of the Mercs Logging Co., the logging company founded by him, Greil, and Garcia. While Achilles had been dead for many moons, it held the worldly possessions of his hot-headed son Shinon, who was missing in action. After the death of his father, Shinon left Montana, and went to follow his gifts in hunting and marksmanship. No one was quite sure where the young man was, as he did not write or tell anyone at the Gawain Lodge of his activities and whereabouts. It was rumored that he was on the run from the law, and there were people talking that said that his loose lips and hot temper, combined with his lethal skills in marksmanship, got him into trouble with the law. But those were just rumors, nothing more.

Mist walked back inside the lodge, and sat down in the living room, which was just inside the front door. She sat down in the rocking chair that her father built for her mother when she was pregnant with Ike. Her light blue eyes wandered the walls, which were decorated with many pictures, full of history. On the far left was a picture of her father, Garcia, and Achilles, standing together by the river, after forming their company. Next to that one was a collection of the wedding pictures of the three men, with their wives. After those three was another group shot, this time taken outside on the newly built Gawain Lodge. The three couples were standing together smiling, but in the arms of Serena, Achilles' wife, was the young baby Shinon. After that one there was a lapse in time, as the following picture had all of the adults, the young boys: Shinon and Oscar, toddlers Boyd and Ike, and the baby Mist. After that there was a nail in the wall where a picture should have been, but it was removed. Mist studied the spot curiously, not being able to recall what photo and memory had been hanging there. She had peeked into Shinon's room once, and she remembered seeing various trophies, a black guitar case, and two lone photos on the wall, before he sent her out again. She wondered what was in the guitar case, as she had never seen or heard anyone playing any musical instrument in the lodge.

"There you two are! You catch anything?" Boyd's voice boomed from the front yard, and tore Mist away from the family histories. She ran outside to see him walking over to greet Ike and Greil. "Anyway, happy birthday Ike! You get to join me on the crew now, you greenhorn." Boyd shook hands with Ike before heading back into the axe yard to clean up the wake of his destruction.

Mist stood by on the porch, and waited for the two men to greet her. "Is dinner ready yet, my little lady?" Greil asked, before stepping up the porch steps to hug his daughter.

"Oscar has everything ready. Be sure to wash up first! I don't want to see you all at dinner with mud on your faces." Greil smiled and entered the house, and proceeded to his room to wash up.

"Hey there Mist." Ike said, before letting himself be hugged by his younger sister. "How're you holding up?"

"I'm fine, thanks." Mist beamed up at her brother. "You catch anything?" she asked inquisitively.

Ike smiled widely. "I'll tell you about it at dinner." Mist frowned playfully as her brother entered the house and proceeded to his room.

Mist was about to follow when Boyd walked up behind her. "What about me; do I get a hug too?" he asked teasingly.

Mist pivoted and smirked. "It's not your birthday; otherwise I'd give you one too." And with a spin and a twirl of her brown hair, she walked off smiling.

Boyd sighed and itched his upper arm. "It's not Greil's birthday though and he got a hug…" He entered the house and closed the door behind him. He then entered the kitchen, where he was greeted with an aroma of spices and herbs. "What's cooking brother?" Boyd asked, stomach rumbling.

Oscar smiled. "Nothing much. I read another few chapters of my book this morning, and started dinner a few hours ago."

Boyd laughed. "No, I meant what's for dinner, not how you're doing squinty-eyes!"

Oscar rolled his eyes, smiling. "Thanks for asking how I'm doing, dearest brother. I'm glad to see you care so much about my wellbeing." Boyd smirked. "But, in case you really wanted to know, we are having Parmesan Chicken for dinner tonight."

"Glad to hear it brother. See you in five." Boyd walked off towards his room, which he shared with Ike.

"Make it ten Boyd!" Oscar called after him. He then turned to the table, where he began setting the table for six. "Titania's not coming back until Tuesday. That makes six." He chuckled lightly. "What an odd family we have here; two separate families, one parent, one runaway son, and others that come in and out as they please." He began whistling again, and returned to work setting the table for Sunday night supper.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

It was an extraordinary dinner, as usual, since Oscar was a semi-professional chef. After dinner they all had cake, sang 'Happy Birthday', and enjoyed their time together as a family. Both Mist and the three brothers were shocked to hear of Ike's battle with the Bear of the River, and Boyd expressed a tinge of jealous over the sighting and ensuing battle. It was now around midnight, and Ike was leaning against the railing of the loggia, outside the kitchen. It functioned as a deck, which overlooked the forest, and the mountains were visible off on the horizon. Ike stood there, supported by the house that his father build, and thought about his future. His eyes looked out into the night; his eyes were shining slightly, with the reflection of the moon in his dark orbs.

"Are you nervous?" Ike turned around to see Mist, wrapped in a bathrobe, which was worn over her pajamas.

"A little. I mean, it is a new world for me. Now that I'm entering the company, that is. It'll be different." Ike responded, sliding over to make way for his sister to lean against the railing with him. "I'll only be a greenhorn until summer season. It's not too far off."

Mist smiled. "You aren't alone you know. Dad, Garcia, Achilles, Gatrie, Shinon, Oscar, even Boyd survived their greenhorn years. And they all turned out to be good men, and so will you."

Ike chuckled. "Well, I'm not going to say that Boyd's a good man quite yet." Mist punched him lightly and let loose a laugh.

"Ike, I can't wait for you to bring a girl home. Then I'm going to tease you mercilessly." Mist replied. Ike could discern a faint tinge of pink on her cheeks, even in the mere light of the moon.

"But Mist," Ike said softly, "I promise you that I won't leave you, no matter what happens to Dad or anyone else. Not until you're safe here, with whomever you decide to marry. Understand?"

Mist smiled. "But I don't think anything will happen to father. He's a safe and careful man."

Ike nodded, and wished that it could be as safe as a fairytale. "Look what happened to Garcia though. He was working out with father, and was killed by a Barber's Chair. You never know what will happen out there."

Mist shuddered and looked downcast. "Don't say things like that! I get worried for you and father when people say things like that, even though this job is a lot safer than it used to be."

Ike pulled his sister closer to him. "But no matter what, I'm not leaving you alone. That I promise you."

"Thank you Ike." Mist said quietly.

And with a parting smile, Mist turned and headed off to bed. After a few more minutes in the chilly outside air, Ike slid the sliding glass door shut, and went to his room, to find Boyd fast asleep.

As Ike climbed into bed and pulled the sheets around him, he thanked God that Boyd didn't cut logs in his sleep. It was already his day job, and Ike was glad Boyd didn't cut logs in his sleep as well. Ike closed his eyes, and prepared himself for his first day on the job, as a greenhorn in the family business.

He was a young man, entering a man's world. And as he drifted off into sleep, he said two words to himself in the stillness of the night, "Prepare yourself."

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There it is. The Prologue chapter to Project Chainsaw.

I hope you all understand what's going on, and where the plot is supposed to be, as per Path of Radiance.

As this goes on, you can request cameos of Tellius characters, as long as I don't already have plans for them.

If you can review, that would be most appreciated. If not, the 'Hit Counter' will appease me.

Until next time.

~Sol


	2. Chapter One: Entering the Wild

Alright. Here's the first real chapter, after the Prologue.

_This chapter is dedicated to FireEmblemMewMew._

Disclaimer: I do not own Fire Emblem.

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Chapter One: Entering the Wild

The alarm went off at five thirty in the morning, summoning Boyd and Ike from their slumber. It continued to sound off as the two men lay there, unwilling or unable to move. After its ringing for a few minutes, Boyd rolled out of bed and walked over, dazed and tired, to turn it off. After silencing the infernal ticking beast, he turned to Ike and rubbed his eyes. "The hardest part is rolling out of bed. Once you're up you'll run into everyone else." Boyd walked over to his closet, and retrieved his work clothes for the day. Ike laid there motionless. "Ike, come on. Get up. It's almost five forty-five." Ike stirred, and pulled himself out of bed. He sat at the edge of the bed, rubbing his eyes, straining to see his roommate. Boyd walked over to the window and drew back the curtain, letting the orange morning sun pour into the center of the room. He grabbed a towel, and proceeded towards the bathroom. He stopped at the door and turned to Ike. "Once you wash up it'll be easier to wake up. It works for me." He then left the room, heading down the hall.

Ike stood up and stretched his arms. "It's going to be rough, getting used to this routine." he said aloud, before grabbing his own clothes from his closet. He then grabbed his boots and jacket before heading out of the room, towards the bathroom. In the hall he saw Oscar squinting to see in the sun-filled halls.

Oscar walked towards the kitchen and began cooking breakfast. He set the table while the bacon sizzled away in the pan, and he started the coffee machine before he grabbed the cereal boxes from the upper shelves. Bowls, spoons, knives, forks, and napkins dotted the table, where the workers would share breakfast. The first one to the table was Greil, as he was the supervisor and manager of the company. He sat down at the head of the table, and began reading another financial report on the depreciation rates of his equipment. "You know, Oscar, you might as well read these too, since you inherit a third of the company from your father."

Oscar smiled gratefully, but shook his head no. "When the lawyer comes out in a couple months, I'm going to pass my share on to Boyd. He'd be the better lumberjack. Besides, after he and Rolf go on their ways, I want to head back to culinary school."

Greil went back to reading his financial report. After finishing the page he was reading he said, "Oscar, you're a good man." Oscar turned to look at the man who took him and his brothers in after their father died. "You have your own dreams, goals, and future, but you put left them all at the wayside to support your family. That's a quality I look for in all men. Just because you're strong or smart doesn't mean that you're a good person. I think," Greil paused for a second, "that the family man is the best type of man. He has his own goals, but sacrifices daily for his family. That takes true strength."

Oscar nodded silently and resumed his work. He piled scrambled eggs and bacon onto a plate for Greil and set it before him, along with the communal toast and jams plate. Sitting down at the older man's left hand side, he said, "I agree. Nothing comes before family. That's why I'm still here: for Boyd; for Rolf."

Greil nodded appreciatively and took a sip of his black coffee. Oscar held his cup of tea in between his hands, warming them up, ever so gently. He inhaled, and could smell the sweet fragrance of cinnamon fill his nostrils. "I love tea." Oscar stated simply. "It's not as… forceful as coffee is, and it comes with an aroma of peace."

Greil chuckled. "You'd make a good poet too, Oscar." The young chef just smiled and sipped his tea. "As for me, I need the caffeine from the pure, black coffee."

The two of them both took a drink from their morning draught, while Ike and Boyd walked into the room and took a seat at the table. Boyd immediately picked up his fork and knife, waiting to be served. "Oscar, are you going to serve me breakfast or not?" he asked, almost seriously.

Oscar laughed while Greil just moved on to the next page of the report. "Sorry, Boyd, I'm already sitting down." Ike then sat down with his plate of food, after serving himself. Boyd grumbled and got up to serve himself breakfast.

"Excited for your first day, Ike?" Oscar asked, looking up from his tea.

"You bet, Oscar." Ike replied smiling. "The only thing I didn't look forward to was getting up so early."

Boyd came back and sat down next to his brother, across from Ike, who was at his father's right hand side. "You'll get used to it. It's not really that bad, once you get up that early for a season or two."

Both Oscar and Greil tried to prevent their beverage from shooting out their noses. Greil spoke up, trying to contain his laughter. "Boyd, you still can't get up on time! Remember the time you missed the truck, and had to run all the way to camp?"

Boyd was silent, as he remembered the day, last winter, when he missed the truck to the work site, and had to run the two miles to the base camp. He silently gobbled down his food while Oscar and Greil laughed.

Rolf then entered the kitchen, half asleep and sleepy-faced. "What's all the laughter for?" he asked, somewhat angry.

Ike turned to the younger boy and smiled. "We're just making fun of Boyd." Boyd shot a look at Ike, before diving into his bowl of Honey Bunches of Oats. Rolf shrugged and made his way to the refrigerator, and poured himself a glass of orange juice, before joining the family at the table. Reaching for a piece of toast he sat down next to Ike and began munching on his piece of dry bread.

"You aren't going to put anything on it?" asked Oscar.

Rolf looked at the selection of jams, somewhat passively. "Only if Boyd didn't make it."

Boyd tossed a spoonful of his cereal at his younger brother. "That's not funny. I tried my hardest to make a good jam."

Rolf wiped the cereal from his face. "It wasn't funny, because I was sick for half a week!"

Oscar shook his head and went over to the kitchen. Hanging up his apron, he went back to his room, which used to be his parents. While his family ate, he put his boots on, and his jacket, grabbing his keys from the dresser. As was his custom, he stopped at the picture hanging right next to the door. Pictured there was himself, Boyd, and Rolf, and their father, Garcia. It was taken about five years ago, a month before Garcia died. Oscar stopped there, and closed his eyes. He cast one last glance at the photograph as he walked out of the room. It was hard to do, but he did his best for his brothers. "I'm heading to town to pick up supplies. Anything I can get you guys?"

Rolf shook his head in the negative. Greil looked up from his report. "Oscar, I think we're good for this week."

"Alright then; I'm heading out. Have a good first day, Ike!" Oscar finished, before heading out the door.

The kitchen fell into silence, as they continued to eat silently. Only the clanking of spoons against the bowls of Honey Bunches of Oats could be heard, and the occasional flip of a page in the reports that Greil was reading. Eventually, they heard Oscar's motorcycle start, and he sped off towards town.

After breakfast, the three men grabbed their supplies, and their bag lunches, and piled into the truck before driving up to the work site. Rolf stood at the front door, and waved until they were lost to sight. He then turned and went back into the house to work on his secret painting that he had been hiding in one of the guest bedrooms.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

As the truck pulled into the base camp, where they would meet up with the other crew members, Greil spoke up. "Alright. Welcome aboard, Ike. Today's your first day as a greenhorn. Don't let it get to you; we're all men out here trying to make an honest living. Don't let anyone get under your skin; it isn't worth the fighting and carelessness. Anyone can die out here, from a widow-maker, a barbers-chair, or a piece of malfunctioning equipment. You'll be Boyd's partner, working in Gatrie's division."

The older man parked the truck and turned around in the seat, to face Boyd and Ike. "Now, you two, don't get cocky or screwy out there. These are trees that weigh tons. If you make one bad cut, it could be your life that is lost, or the life of a co-worker. Now," Greil opened the truck door, "let's get to work." Ike and Boyd hopped out of the back seat, and grabbed their gear, heading up to the headquarters.

Headquarters was a small cabin, wherein the company would meet to receive their assignments. It also had a few rooms, where some of the men slept during the week. It was a Monday morning, so no one was there, since all of the men went back to town for the weekend. The three of them were the first ones there. Greil went over to his desk and began pouring over some maps, while Boyd and Ike took a seat in the main room. "Say, Boyd," Ike began, "you're only eighteen and a few months right?"

Boyd nodded. "Yeah, I'm only a few months older than you."

Ike was puzzled. "Well, why have you been working for the past year here? I thought you couldn't work here until you were eighteen."

Boyd looked around the room quickly, and then responded. "Well, Ike, since dad died, and Oscar came back from college, your father let me work here under the table, to make some money for us three. Since dad wasn't there to work for us."

Ike nodded his head. "You're a good man, Boyd. I'm glad to be your partner."

Boyd chuckled. "I guess I have to show you the ropes here today huh? First to go is all the fancy 'lingo' we've got going around."

Ike smiled. "I already know greenhorn, that's just me, a new man on the job, a tenderfoot."

"Exactly." replied Boyd. "And a lot of guys will give you crap about being the greenhorn, but you can handle it."

Then, they heard a car engine stop, and the car door shut. Boyd turned to face the door. "I bet its Zihark. He's always here five minutes before everyone else."

True enough, Zihark walked in, with his long bluish-grey hair behind him. He waved to Boyd and Ike, before getting a cup of coffee from the kitchen. "That's him alright. He gets here early ever since he got promoted to Chief Bucker. And that's because he's our Competent Person. Agravaine would've gotten the job, but he is too quick on the draw, and doesn't take as much precautions, when he swings his sword. He almost got Zihark killed last year, swinging that sword of his around, when they were both applying for the job."

Ike was processing the information. "So, fellers are the people who cut, fell the trees and those trees are then-"

"Bucked. Bucking is when you saw the fallen tree into logs, for transportation. Zihark's in charge of the Bucking, and Gatrie is Bullbuck, supervisor of the fallers. We are fallers, so Gatrie's our immediate supervisor. He tells us where to fell the trees, and which to fell. We do the physical labor, though Gatrie does a lot too, given that he likes to show off his arms to the ladies in the pub."

Ike nodded in comprehension. "And you said that Zihark is a 'Competent Person'. What's that?"

"Well, he's the smartest guy here, besides the Boss. Zihark, as Capable Person, looks for work hazards, like unsanitary buildings, unsafe procedures, and dangerous handling of equipment. Basically, he's the go-to guy if you have questions on how to do something the safe way."

A motorcycle was heard approaching the compound, and after a few minutes, a red haired man, wearing a black trench coat, entered the building. His face was covered in small cuts and scars. His eyes scanned the room, skipping over the unimportant fellers to land on Zihark. He poured himself a cup of black coffee, and sat down at the far end of the room, as far away from Zihark as possible. Agravaine's long red hair fell about his face messily, and his trench coat hid the rest of his body from onlookers, which was covered in scars and wounds. At his side were two long swords, which were used to buck trees and remove branches in the phase of branching, which is when the branches are removed from the log.

Zihark walked over and sat opposite Ike.

"You must be Ike." Zihark said, extending his hand to the greenhorn with a friendly smile.

"And you must be Zihark." Ike responded, returning the smile.

"Nice to have you in the company. Whose group are you in?" the bucker asked, leaning back in the chair.

"He'll be felling with me, under Gatrie." Boyd replied, extending his hand to Zihark.

"Not bad." Zihark said, returning the handshake. "I'll try to let Greil put you in my crew for a day, just to get a feel of the other jobs to do as well. That sounds good?"

"Sounds great. Thanks for the opportunity, Zihark." Ike responded.

"Great. I'll go see the Boss now." Zihark got up and went over to see Greil about the arrangement.

Ike and Boyd turned to see the last couple cars arrive. Gatrie arrived in his Hummer, and Alistair arrived on his old motorcycle. The Bullbuck was in his early thirties. He was a big man, with a cheeky grin plastered on his face at all times. He had blonde hair, and always wore blue. He was a generally jolly man, but he had been down since his best friend, Shinon, blew out of town years ago. Alistair was about the same age as Greil. He had dark brown hair, and looked like a lumberjack on the job, and a typical biker in town. He wore a leather riding jacket all the times, except when working. He was a quiet, gruff, older man who kept to himself.

"He was my mentor when I was a greenhorn." Boyd whispered to Ike. "He pretended to hate me, but I think that he liked my company. I'll introduce you two sometime." Muston arrived in his car, and entered the room as well. He smoked, and smelt like a Habana Cigar. Jorge and Daniel, twin brothers, arrived last, in their Mini Cooper that they claimed they won while playing poker during a Las Vegas vacation.

After everyone had been seated, Greil called them all to attention. "Alright. I hope you all had an eventful weekend." Some of the men nodded. "This week, we are finishing up this operation here in the Highlands Operation. Next week, we're going to relocate somewhere else, but we'll talk logistics later." Pointing to Ike he said, "This is Ike. He's my son, and he turned eighteen yesterday, and he's ready to join the company." The men turned to look at the new greenhorn. "He's the new greenhorn here, and Boyd's now a one-seasoner. Congratulations to Boyd for making it this far."

There was applause, as maturing from greenhorn status was quite the feat in the logging industry, given that greenhorns rarely stayed on after the first year. "Ike will be working with Boyd, under Gatrie's team this week. Tomorrow, however, he'll be bucking with Zihark, to learn the ropes there too. Summer season is approaching, and I want everyone to be preparing for the seasonal changes. It will warm up, and there will be more people in town for the festivities and fairs." Greil then stood up, and finished speaking saying, "once all the trees are processed here, we're done for the week. So, if you all do really well and work efficiently, we'll have Thursday and Friday off. Anyone want a four-day weekend?" All the men raised their hands in the air as fast as bullets from a gun. "Well, go out there and get it!"

And with that, the men rushed outside, and the crews assembled, motivated by the potential four-day weekend.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

At about eleven in the morning, after four hours of work, the men gathered back down on the landing, for lunch. Oscar usually cooked lunch for the men, but since he goes in to town every Monday, the men brought bag lunches for themselves. They all went back inside the cabin to eat. It was pretty much the same for everyone; everyone had a sandwich of some sort, with a bag of chips and a piece of fruit. Luckily for Ike and Boyd, Mist had made them lunches the previous night, so they were well-off. There wasn't much conversation, as everyone was eager to get back to work, in order to get those two extra days off.

Boyd and Ike were sitting together at a small table on the deck outside. Alistair walked over and sat down next to them. "You're doing well for your first day, Ike. You're not complaining about the blisters or splinters." Alistair spooned his soup, and stirred it around.

"It's not worth it." Ike said, causing Alistair to look up. "The complaining, I mean. No one will overly worry about a splinter in my finger or blisters on my hands. It's not like I don't have any," Ike took off a glove to show the older man his new blister from the chainsaw, "but it's simply not worth the complaining. Even though I'm the greenhorn, I'm not a wuss."

Alistair reached a hand across the table. "I'm Alistair by the way."

Ike smiled and accepted the greeting. "I'm Ike, but you know that already." The two men laughed as Boyd took a bite out of his sandwich.

Alistair took a drink from his soup bowl. "So how do you like the job out here?"

Ike finished chewing a bite of his apple and looked back towards the operation. "The job is not half as bad as I thought it would be." Boyd nodded in agreement. "I mean, sure the work is dangerous, and it's not exactly safe, but I like it."

Boyd clapped Ike on the back. "That's the spirit man! I knew you'd love it."

Alistair finished his soup and leaned back in the chair. Boyd began devouring his apple, while Ike started his sandwich. "You know," Boyd said between biting and chewing his apple, "there's something calming about working out here, without the noise, the hustle and bustle of the city, the humdrum of the city folk. No day is like the one that came before it. There's always something going on." Alistair nodded approvingly. "Look at this month. The first week out here it rained the entire week. The next week was windy as hell, with widow makers falling left and right, putting us behind schedule. Last week we got clear skies and calm winds, putting us back on schedule. And this week, we might have two days off." Boyd finished the apple and threw the core over the railing, down the hill.

The three men sat there, surrounded by nature, simply absorbing the calm and beautiful day, knowing that full well the next day could be thunder and lightning. Alistair commented saying, "I couldn't sit behind a desk forty hours a week, let alone eight. I have to feel the wind on my face, the twirling of the chainsaws, and the roar of the trees when they fall to know that I am alive. The beauty of this place is simply astounding, and…" he paused, "beautiful."

Eventually, Gatrie called them back to work, and they set out again to do their jobs, shaken and stirred. By noon, everyone was back at their stations, cutting, sawing, felling, yarding, limbing, bucking, and transporting the fruits of their labor abroad.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Ike already knew the basics of felling a tree: where to make the cuts, how to fell the tree where you want it to go, and Boyd was always there to keep an eye on the greenhorn. Alistair was never more than a hundred yards away. And true to Boyd's word, Gatrie grabbed a chainsaw and felled a few trees himself, in between filling out the other men's paperwork. The crew had a support system working wherein they all helped each other out, and Ike was immediately included into the felling crew with a smile and a hand shake.

At the end of the day, when the air horn went off at four in the afternoon, the crews headed back to the cabin to sign out and retire for the night. Agravaine, Gatrie, Muston, and the twins spent the nights in the company cabin during the weeknights, to save on gasoline. Zihark and Alistair stayed at the Gawain Lodge, as invited by Greil. Ike was glad to be headed home; he was tired, sweaty, and in need of a bath. Hopefully Oscar would serve him dinner tonight.

It was a silent ride back home. The hard work of Monday, combined with the furious pace at which they worked so that they could have the extra days off, took its toll on the three men. Seated in the bed of the truck were Zihark and Alistair chatting excitedly about the prospect of the four day weekend. Greil was silent, contemplating the company's next operation site. Boyd and Ike just sat in the back seats, comparing each other's various blisters and small wounds on their hands and arms.

They arrived at the Gawain Lodge to see Rolf entering the house from the direction of the garden. Oscar's bike was not parked by the stairs, so they knew that Mist would be cooking dinner. Alistair and Zihark hopped out of the bed of the truck, and grabbed their bags. Boyd and Ike went inside to wash up.

Greil entered the lodge last. Alistair took his bags to the spare bedroom on Garcia's wing of the lodge. "Hey, dad!" Greil turned around to see Mist running towards him from the kitchen. She had her hair tied back, and was wearing the cooking apron. She pulled him into a hug, which he reluctantly returned. "How was your day?"

Greil sighed and seceded from the hug. "It's going well; I'm just contemplating moving the operation downriver." He then turned and walked off toward his room. Mist stood there, a tad worried.

"Hey there, Mist." Mist turned around to see Ike enter the kitchen. She gave him a quick hug. "What's wrong, Mist?" her brother asked, shocked by the sudden rush of affection.

"Dad's considering moving the operation downriver." Mist said. Ike nodded, understanding. "Does that mean we'll have to move?"

Ike thought for a moment, as moving downriver would definitely be safer for the family. "Well, either the workers will just camp down at the operation during the week, or we'll all move together, and start another lodge."

Mist frowned. "I don't want to move downriver. It'll be farther away from the town. And besides, this is where mother lived with us."

"I'll talk to father about it, okay?" Ike asked.

Mist nodded appreciatively, and walked back into the kitchen to serve Ike some spaghetti.

Zihark and Alistair came to the table and sat down, talking about how they would spend their two extra free days. Boyd ran into the room and grabbed a chair, eagerly waiting for dinner to be served, fork in hand. Oscar came in the door silently, and took an empty seat at the table. Alistair followed suit. "How was your trip, Oscar?" Mist asked.

Oscar smiled. "Well, it was a great ride today. Beautiful weather. Anyway, once I got into town, I saw a group of photographers and journalists. They were working for the National Geographic, and were writing an article on small logging towns."

Rolf perked up at the news. "Did they get a picture of you?"

Oscar nodded a no. "One of the journalists interviewed me. I told him about the life here, how it's rough, but wonderful and full of beauty. He asked me what was the most important thing to me, and I said that my family was."

Mist smiled at Oscar, and Boyd just laughed. "Gee, thanks, big bro'."

"I told him that my middle brother was a pig though." Oscar replied, undaunted by the remark.

Boyd looked up from his plate, insulted. "I am not!"

Rolf chuckled and pointed to Boyd's plate. "Look at that, your plate is empty. Did you lick it clean or something?"

Boyd grumbled to himself while the family laughed. He muttered something about being hungry after a hard day's work, but no one paid attention.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

After dinner, Zihark went out for a quick jog to the operation and back; it was a four mile run. Alistair went on the loggia to have a drink of scotch, and he admired the landscape. Rolf sat next to him, sketching the scene that was unfolding in front of him. Oscar, Boyd, Ike, and Mist were playing a board game in the living room, and it was apparent that Boyd was losing, as he was contesting every move that was made. Greil was in the kitchen on the telephone, watching his children play games. After finishing his business, he poured himself a scotch, and went out on the balcony with Alistair.

After clinking their glasses together, the two men had a drink and placed the glasses on the rail. Rolf quickly drew the glasses and rail into the sketch, and scribbled 'Monday Night' at the bottom of the canvas.

* * *

Alright. A quick 'thank you' to my reviewers: Ramgigon and Xciset.

To Xciset: The logging idea came about from me thinking 'what do you do with chainsaws?' If you didn't check out the picture I linked, do so, because that might explain where I got the idea from. As for the laguz, I plan to have most of the beasts show up at some point... not sure about the birds or dragons. And I'll work on Nephenee too, but I don't have any plans for her, so it'll be a write in. I still argue that the fandom is not dying; its dormant. As for zombies, I actually thought of that too, but never implemented it.

There we go. Have a great day! :D


	3. Chapter Two: Constructing a Family

Yeah. Sorry for taking forever. With the mafia game on SSBB, mafiascum, and personal issues, I've been lazy. I mean, I have quite a few chapters written, but I've forgottten to post them. :P

So here is the second chapter. :D Enjoy.

Disclaimer: I don't own Fire Emblem.

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Chapter Two: Constructing a Family

The Gawain Lodge awoke quickly, as the promise of the two extra days off lingered in the minds of the workers. Boyd clamored out of bed at five thirty, as the alarm began ringing. He grabbed his clothes and towel before heading to the bathroom. He washed his face and began drying it with his towel when Ike stumbled in. Glancing at his watch, Boyd commented slyly, "Well look who it is, out of bed before five forty!" Ike, squinting from the bathroom light, made his way over to the other sink, and proceeded to bathe his face with cold water. Boyd smiled and buttoned up his long sleeved shirt, and threw his vest on over it.

Oscar was in the kitchen diligently preparing breakfast for the hungry troopers. Boyd sauntered through the living room, taking a moment to study the collection of family portraits. Greil walked in and poured himself a cup of black coffee before heading out onto the loggia to take in the world. Zihark and Alistair entered the room, chatting quietly.

It was another typical morning. Ike stumbled in wearily, and Boyd was gathering his effects. After everyone had been seated, Oscar served them all a hearty serving of scrambled eggs, thick bacon, and two biscuits with gravy. On the side was the optional bowl of cereal, of which Boyd poured himself the daily bowl of Honey Bunches of Oats. At approximately six forty the group grabbed their bag lunches, that had been prepared by Mist the previous night, each bagged marked with a letter or two that referred to each person's name. The group then piled into the truck, Oscar joining them, and they drove up to the operation.

_ _ _ _ _ _

The day flew by, just as Monday had. Ike worked with Zihark, Agravaine and the twins, bucking the felled trees. Their job was to cut the branches and limbs off of the logs, and to cut the logs into smaller segments. The extra branches and limbs were piled into a section of the landing, where the men could take them at anytime, for fuel for furnaces at home, or simple construction projects. Ike heeded Boyd's warning well; Agravaine was a terrible tempest with his swords. He sliced and diced the logs free of branches and limbs without any mind to other people's space. It was not particularly safe, but it was effective.

Oscar spent the day in hiking boots, walking down the back road trail towards the southwest, following the river. Greil had sent him downriver, looking for suitable areas to start another operation, and perhaps, another lodge. Oscar carried a small pack, with his lunch, a compass, a map, and a flashlight. Slung across his back was a hunting rifle. It was a dangerous trek, but he was more than careful enough to take the necessary precautions. He told Greil that he'd make his way southwest, and meet them up at the lodge for dinner. About three o'clock he made his ascent up the cliff, heading homeward.

The Mercenary Logging Company, more commonly referred to as 'The Mercs' was founded in the eighties by three friends: Greil, Garcia, and Achilles. Greil and Garcia were childhood friends, and they always dreamed of living in the wilderness, living off of the land. Greil joined the army, and Garcia went to a small public college in a nearby city. After a few years, Greil met his future wife, Elena, and he told her of his childhood dream. Reconnecting with Garcia gave the two men the chance of their lifetimes. Garcia had inherited a plot of land in the middle of Montana, and the two men made plans to move out there. That summer was the best summer of their lives. Greil married Elena, and moved out to Montana, after resigning from the army. Garcia was waiting with his wife, and they built the Gawain Lodge, named after a legendary knight that the trio admired for his courage.

Achilles was an old army friend of Greil's who called him years later, asking if he had built the lodge. After a long talk that was kept between the two of them, Greil and Garcia let Achilles and his son, Shinon, move into the lodge. Achilles worked in the company, and Shinon was a skilled hunter. The biggest flaw in Achilles' person was alcohol. After the death of his wife, of which he never talked, he began drinking. One night, Achilles went for a ride on his motorcycle. He was found the next morning dead of a gruesome crash. After the funeral, Shinon left the lodge, never to be seen again. His room remained untouched, save when someone would go in there to dust.

_ _ _ _ _ _

The truck pulled back into the Gawain Lodge at about four twenty. Oscar was sitting on the porch, scraping dried mud off of the soles of his boots. Boyd and Ike hopped out of the back of the truck, and began unloading some of their new firewood into the garage. Zihark went inside to wash up for dinner. Alistair and Greil were stopped at the door of the lodge by Mist and were promptly commanded to get the mud off of their boots.

Rolf was slicing water chestnuts for the stir fry; Greil's one great culinary forte was stir fry. He volunteered to cook dinner that Tuesday, because Titania was returning from the city. At five fifteen the family sat down for dinner. Greil sat at the head of the table, with Mist on his left and Ike on his right. Next to Ike sat Boyd, and Oscar next to his brother. At the far end of the patriarch's right hand side sat Zihark. Opposite him was Alistair. Next to Mist was Titania's empty chair, and Rolf on the other side of the chair.

Oscar began serving himself the salad, and passed it to his left. Greil started with the stir fry. Rolf poured drinks for everyone, save Greil and Alistair, who had beer. As the family began eating, the front door swung open, and Titania walked in the doorway with a smile.

"Why hello everyone!" Titania said, waving at the family as she set her bags down in the family room. Mist ran over to her for a hug.

"It's been a couple months now, Titania!" Greil said. "What took you so long?"

Titania took her seat at the table and sighed. "My siblings kept fighting over the inheritance thing. I don't understand them. We're supposed to be a family, mourning our dead mother, not a bunch of money-seeking scumbags."

Boyd leaned back in his chair to stretch his arms for a moment. "It's a good thing none of us are scumbags." he said triumphantly.

Rolf rolled his eyes. "Yeah, good thing." Rolf said sarcastically. Boyd shot him a look.

Everyone then began serving themselves, passing the food along the table. "How's everyone holding up?" Titania asked.

Boyd chirped in again. "Ike started work yesterday."

"Isn't it my place to tell her that I'm working?" Ike asked jokingly.

Boyd put on a sad face, and faked sniffling. "It's because I'm so proud of you, Ike, growing up and being a real man now."

Rolf had to pinch himself to stop laughing, and to prevent milk from shooting out his nose. Oscar smiled. "Actually Boyd, we were never concerned about Ike; I always worry about you, especially when you're swinging your axe like a mad man."

Boyd just stared at Oscar. "Oscar." Boyd replied seriously, pointing his fork towards his elder brother. "How many trees have you felled this year?" Boyd didn't want an answer. "None. That's because you're a bucker, who just sits there all happy-like, not even raising a finger. We fellers," Boyd gestured to Ike and Alistair, "are the real workers here."

Zihark looked up from his dinner. "Boyd, I honestly fear you as much as Agravaine. The way you two hold those metal instruments of death… it gives me chills."

Alistair flashed a smile. "I'm more worried about Gatrie. If he doesn't get a woman soon, he's going to start finding manlier ways to cut trees down."

Rolf looked at him incredulously. "You can't get much better than a chainsaw, right?"

Ike spoke up. "He might try and push down a tree. That would take muscle."

Boyd chimed in again. "He might as well use his teeth, since he smiles so much."

Titania scooped herself some more salad, and added, "Has Shinon showed up yet?"

Greil spoke up before anyone else could throw out a rumor. "Shinon hasn't been home yet. But whatever he's doing, I'm sure it's lawful and non-life-threatening."

Boyd and Ike exchanged skeptical looks, while Alistair took another drink from his beer. Oscar just shrugged and continued eating. "I still think bucking is where it's at." Oscar stated, changing the subject.

Boyd put his elbow down on the table, pointing his finger straight at the space in between Oscar's squinty eyes. "Look. We're the manly men, the men who cut down trees. We've got the guns." Boyd flexed his arm muscles before removing his guns from the table.

Mist smirked. "Gee Boyd; Oscar's mighty handy around the house though. He cooks, cleans, and does laundry. It's not all about how big your guns are, Boyd."

Titania spoke up. "Boyd, when was the last time you went out with a girl?" Boyd clamped his mouth shut. "Exactly. Ike and you are fellers, who've never had a girlfriend. Zihark and Oscar are buckers; Zihark was engaged at one time, and Oscar had a girlfriend in college."

Boyd's mental cogs were working. "What about Alistair? He's married."

Alistair glumly replied, "I'm divorced, Boyd." before finishing his beer. Boyd fell silent.

"In our defense, Titania," Ike added, "there aren't many women out here, let alone girls out age. If you live this far out, you're either a lumberjack or unemployed. No woman wants to live with the stereotypical man in either category."

"There's also the laguz, Ike." Zihark added.

"Don't they live way out there in the forest though?" said Mist.

"Yes, but they aren't all that bad. My fiancée was a laguz." Zihark said quietly.

"Was she pretty?" Mist asked.

Zihark became lost in thought, reminiscing of his lost love. Oscar stood up to clean his plate, collecting the dishes that were done seeing dinner for the night. Oscar washed the dishes while the family broke apart for the evening. After washing the dishes he went to the living room to read another book. Alistair went out for an evening walk, while Titania and Zihark went on the jog to the operation and back. Boyd and Ike went out to the axe yard, to have a few swings and to flex their guns, and Mist began tailoring a torn shirt of Boyd's.

Greil sat down in the living room with a book, and briefly looked at the pictures on the wall. He said to himself,'_Look at us, three families in one house, an orphan boy, a runaway, a divorced man. We're not building a company here; we're constructing a family._'

* * *

There we go! :D Thanks to everyone who reviewed. :D I'll thank you individually next time you review. :D


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